IEM Advanced Job Management
Work Breakdown Structures (WBS)
An important concept for Jobs is the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS). The PMBOK®-Guide calls it Decomposition:
- Decomposition is a technique used for dividing and subdividing the project scope and project deliverables into smaller, more manageable parts. The work package is the work defined at the lowest level of the WBS for which cost and duration can be estimated and managed. The level of decomposition is often guided by the degree of control needed to effectively manage the project. The level of detail for work packages will vary with the size and complexity of the project.
PMBOK® Guide = Project Management Body Of Knowledge published by the Project Management Institute
IEM supports 2 alternative WBS’s Elements and Activities, besides the standard Job Tasks. When using Elements and Activities the Job Task becomes the work package. Using Elements and Activities is optional, Job Tasks are mandatory. Elements allow you to decompose the Job into its main cost components while Activities decompose a Job into its main activity components. Combining the 2: "which activities to I need to complete this element" creates the job tasks as work packages. This process is supported in the Estimating function.
